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Table 3 Estimates of lung function according to radiological findings.

From: Lung function in asbestos-exposed workers, a systematic review and meta-analysis

 

Overall

Studies with <25% non-smokers

Studies with >25% non-smokers

 

n

Estimate

95% CI

I 2 (%)

n

Estimate

95% CI

I 2 (%)

n

Estimate

95% CI

I 2 (%)

FVC (% predicted)

            

   Normal imaging

14

96.1

93.9-98.2

95.1

6

98.1

94.6-101.6

88.0

8

94.9

92.3-97.5

96.6

   Pleural fibrosis

12

90.3

87.4-93.3

96.5

6

93.2

88.9-97.5

95.9

6

87.7

83.7-91.8

95.4

   Asbestosis

18

86.4

83.2-89.6

98.1

12

85.9

81.9-89.8

83.7

6

87.4

81.9-92.7

98.9

FEV 1 (% predicted)

            

   Normal imaging

13

93.9

90.0-97.8

97.4

5

97.5

90.9-104.1

35.4

8

92.0

87.2-96.8

98.3

   Pleural fibrosis

10

89.9

84.1-95.7

93.6

5

91.5

83.2-99.9

96.3

5

88.5

80.4-96.5

86.2

   Asbestosis

16

85.2

81.4-89.1

98.9

11

84.2

79.5-88.8

92.2

5

87.6

80.7-94.4

97.5

FEV 1 /FVC (% predicted)

            

   Normal imaging

2

95.4

94.6-96.2

0.0

2

95.4

94.6-96.2

0.0

-

-

-

 

   Pleural fibrosis

4

95.4

91.5-99.3

62.5

2

95.9

90.6-101.3

74.9

2

94.9

89.2-110.5

73.2

   Asbestosis

8

95.6

93.2-97.9

83.8

4

96.3

94.2-98.4

55.3

4

95.3

92.2-98.3

89.8

  1. Subgroup analysis according to % of never-smokers.
  2. Estimates for forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) and the ratio of both parameters (FEV1/FVC) for each radiological subgroup. Results are shown for all included studies as well as separated according to the proportion of non-smokers included in each subgroup (less ore more than 25%). Estimates are expressed as percent predicted together with confidence interval (CI) and I2 as a measure of heterogeneity, n = number of studies included in each subgroup.
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Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology

ISSN: 1745-6673